The referenced application Ser. No. 10,620, Gause, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,700, describes a magnetic tape recorder apparatus in which a threading mechanism is provided to pull out a loop of tape from a cassette without placing stress on the tape. This is accomplished by coupling a tape supply roller to a mechanically operated threading lever which positively feeds tape from the cassette so that pulling out tape from the cassette does not stress the tape as such by the threading movement. It has been found that this apparatus can be still further improved. Due to the braking effect of the winding motors which are coupled to the tape reels in the cassette, stress is still placed on the tape so that the desired tape threading movement free from all stresses cannot always be obtained. The stress-free feeding of the tape is, however, of substantial importance in order to avoid the possibility of deformation of the tape, particularly during threading movement, and especially if succeeding threading movements affect similar sections of the tape.
The loop which is pulled out from the cassette, for example in accordance with the referenced application Ser. No. 10,816, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,922, can also be affected.